When Running Fox and his companions returned to the camp they found
everything in readiness for an attack. As there was no stockade about
the village, the Delawares had hastily thrown up a number of barricades
made of logs and stones. Inside of the camp were several large
brush-piles to be lighted if the Mohawks attempted to enter the camp
under cover of the darkness. Water had been brought from the river, and
two boys had been selected to climb to the roof of each lodge as soon as
the fighting began to watch for fire-arrows.
Running Fox went to Black Panther and gave him a full account of the
fight with the Mohawks. The Delaware chief seemed much pleased, and said
that if the Mohawks had not been intercepted and held up they would have
reached the village before he had a chance to prepare for defense.
“My son, you have done a good thing,” he told Running Fox.
Soon afterward the scouts who had been sent across the river came into
the camp, and said that they had seen nothing of their foes.
“That is good,” declared Black Panther. “Now we know that the Mohawks
are all together.”
The Delawares had little fear that the Mohawks would begin their attack
before dark, still they determined to be ready for any emergency.
Therefore, as the sun sank slowly toward the hilltops they gathered in
the center of the camp to receive their final instructions from the
war-chief.
“My brothers, I have little to tell you,” said Black Panther. “You know
what has happened. Now the Mohawks have come to fight us. Running Fox
has broken the power of their great chief, Standing Wolf. I believe we
will be able to overcome him. We must all be brave. We must keep our
enemies outside of the camp. Pretty soon our brothers, the Minsi, will
come to help us. No matter what happens we must keep fighting until they
get here. Do not let anything make you afraid. If we win this great
battle, the Mohawks will never trouble us again. I have finished.”
When Black Panther finished speaking the Delawares stationed themselves
along the edge of the camp to watch for their foes. The night was well
advanced, however, before they heard anything to rouse their suspicions.
Then they heard the Mohawks signaling on two sides of the camp. It was
evident, therefore, that there were either two distinct war-parties, or
else the Mohawks had separated to attack the village on two sides.
The Delawares waited calmly at their posts, each man grimly determined
to avenge the long list of tribesmen who had died at the hands of those
fierce and implacable foes. The signals soon ceased, and then for a long
time all was still. The Delawares waited in trying suspense. A little
group of warriors huddled behind each barricade, and between them, at
the edge of the camp, were others to close the gaps. Black Panther and
the war-leaders moved back and forth between them.
The stillness was suddenly broken by a piercing yell, and a moment later
it was answered by another on the other side of the camp. Then the
Mohawks began their attack. They rushed toward the village shouting
fiercely, but the Delawares faced them without a tremor. They waited
until their foes were within a few bow-lengths of them, and then they
rose and met them with such a deadly volley of arrows that the astounded
Mohawks recoiled in confusion.
Then the Delaware war-cry rang triumphantly through the night, and the
Mohawks rallied at the sound. Roused to a fury by the stubborn
resistance of their foes, they fought with a reckless daring that
carried them to the very edge of the camp. There they met the Delawares
in a fierce hand to hand encounter. Although they had a tremendous
advantage in numbers the Mohawks found themselves outfought at every
point of contact with their courageous foes. Strive as they might, they
were unable to gain a foothold in the camp. They heard the familiar
voice of Standing Wolf urging them to victory, but it had suddenly lost
its power. The Mohawks began to realize that the fight was going against
them. Aware that they were wasting themselves in vain, they suddenly
became demoralized, and retreated in wild disorder.
The Delawares were frantic with delight. They had beaten back the
boastful Mohawks for the first time since Standing Wolf had begun to
make war upon them. Still they dared not become too hopeful, for they
feared that their success might prove to be only temporary. They had
little doubt that the Mohawks would speedily renew the attack, and they
knew that next time the fortunes of war might again turn in their favor.
However, their temporary victory gave them confidence, and they
determined to fight even harder when the Mohawks resumed the battle.
They believed that the sacred medicine-trophy had already made them
invincible.
“My brothers, we have beaten off the boastful Mohawks, but we are not
through,” cried Black Panther. “Do not feel too sure. They will come
again. Next time they will fight harder. They are much stronger than we
are. Yes, I believe there are three Mohawks for every Delaware. But I
saw some Oneidas and Onondagas. It is a great war-party. We must fight
very hard to keep alive until help comes. Now we must watch.”
Darkness had given way to the soft gray light of dawn when the Mohawks
made their second attempt to enter the village. This time they attacked
the camp on three sides, and the fighting was even fiercer than in the
first encounter. They were led by Standing Wolf and some of the most
noted Iroquois war-chiefs, and for an instant the Delawares lost
confidence. The Mohawks were quick to see their advantage, and they
fought recklessly to make the most of it. Rushing to the barricades they
struggled desperately with the gallant men who defended them. In one or
two places they overwhelmed them by force of numbers, and succeeded in
breaking through the line.
“Come, my brothers, we must fight harder!” shouted Black Panther, as he
ran boldly along the edge of the camp. “Standing Wolf has lost his
power. Running Fox has found it. Come, drive these boastful enemies from
the camp!”
Then Running Fox threw himself into the thick of the fight. Gathering a
little company of followers, he led them against the Mohawks who had
reached the edge of the camp. Waving the sacred medicine-trophy, and
calling upon his companions to follow him, he attacked his foes with
such ferocity that they fell back astounded. Before they could recover
from their surprise, the Delawares rallied, and drove them beyond the
barricades.
Then a warning came from the other side of the camp. Again Running Fox
led a gallant company to meet the invaders. This time, however, their
task was more difficult, and for a time the Delawares were unable to
dislodge their foes. Then in a thrilling hand to hand encounter Running
Fox killed the warrior who led the attack, and the Mohawks suddenly lost
their courage, and fell back.
Word of his prowess was instantly spread among the Delawares, and they
were finally convinced that the mysterious Mohawk medicine-trophy was
responsible for his remarkable success. The thought strengthened their
confidence, and filled them with such dogged determination that the
Mohawks were again compelled to fall back before their stubborn
resistance.
“Well, my brothers, you have made a great fight,” Black Panther cried,
enthusiastically. “The Mohawks have found out that we are men. They
tried to get into the camp, but we were too strong for them. Running Fox
has done some great things. It must be that the mysterious Medicine
Thing is helping him. But we are not through with this fight. I believe
it will last a long time. Well, we will not give in. No, we will keep
fighting no matter how long it takes. See, the Mohawks have disappeared
into the woods. The full light has come. It is good. I do not believe
the Mohawks will begin to fight again until it gets dark. Perhaps they
have gone away. Well, we will not let them fool us. We will keep
watching.”
The Delawares saw nothing further of their foes until near the end of
the day, and then they again heard them signaling on both sides of the
camp. It was evident that they were preparing to renew the attack. The
Delawares knew what to expect. Still there was not one among them who
showed the least trace of anxiety. They waited calmly, determined to
fight if need be until the last of them was killed.
The attack was renewed at sunset, and the Delawares were astounded to
find that on this occasion their foes were Oneidas and Onondagas. They
knew at once that the wily Mohawk war-chief had been holding these hardy
fighters in reserve, and had called upon them to relieve his own
warriors when the latter showed signs of weakening before the deadly
resistance of the Delawares.
“Hi, my brothers, the Mohawks have sent others to do what they cannot do
themselves!” cried Black Panther. “Come, we will show these people how
to fight!”
Although the unexpected appearance of the new fighting force filled them
with dismay, the Delawares fought as stubbornly as ever. The odds were
all against them, however, and they realized that only the timely
arrival of their tribesmen, the Minsi, could save them from disaster.